


The Stars Above Us

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Attempted Non-con/Dub-con, Chan - Harry is 14/15 when the romantic stuff starts to happen, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Generation Gap, I really suck at tagging, Kinda, Protective Remus Lupin, Secret Relationship, Sirius Black/Harriet Potter, Slow Burn, Tags may change later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-06-03 22:02:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6628372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"And the bright stars were reflected in his grey eyes as he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, emphasizing the gesture with a soft smile. And it was that moment, under the fully starred sky, that she realized how fantastic it felt to be with him, to have her palm pressed to another and to have her heart being filled by the warmth of being loved."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Moonlight Wanderings

**Author's Note:**

> Okay... So this is kinda akward. I've written fanfiction for quite a while, but this one is the first one I wanted to publish, so please be gentle... Also, English is not my first language (It's Brazilian Portuguese), so if there's any grammar mistakes I'd like to know, so I can make this reading experience better. 
> 
> I also know there are a bit of out of character moments, specially when it comes to Harry's point of view. I apologize sincerely if you think the pairing offended you in any way, however I'd seriously recommend you to leave if you're not fond of Fem! Harry X Sirius fics, it'd better for both of us, actually.
> 
> I gave my best in this work, so I'd love to know your opinion on it. Feel free to comment and discuss about any points that you thought were good or bad. I hope you all like it!

The sky looked pitch black. The moon was so well hidden behind the dense clouds that one couldn't see it even squinting. Dark nights were supposed to be unnerving, but this one had a calming effect on every person that contemplated it. Every person, but a thoughtful young girl that hugged her knees, sitting next to an old looking window.  
Her black long and messy hair fell at the sides of her face like a curtain, hiding her bright green eyes. Eyes that were darkened by battles she had with her innermost demons, which were merely a reflection of what was outside of her overloaded mind.  
The cold wind hit the window and she could feel the temperature getting lower as she brushed the palm of her hand against the glass that was fogged probably from her own breathing against it. In and out, air filled her lungs. It felt good to be alive, for sure, but she carried a burden no girl her age could handle, even though she didn't know how much it actually weighted by that time.

Although little, innocence was there, embracing her and keeping her from harm. Harm, that came of course from the shadows of her past. Everyone thought Harriet Potter (Harry, for the closest ones) was a heroine, a warrior that constantly fought against the darkest of all wizards, something to be worshipped.  
Her fame was not something she was proud of. No. Harry wanted none of it. Everyone assumed she did otherwise, but her energy to deny it had been reduced with the years. But not for the slightest moment she thought of taking advantage from it, in fact, she would do anything to have a normal life. A life she wouldn't be praised for the demise of her parents.

It had been three years since Harry's life took an unexpected turn. She thought, after a while, she was the luckiest girl alive. No more chores, no more being insulted by Dudley, no more disgusted looks from Aunt Petunia, no more threats from Aunt Vernon...  
...No more being woken up by screams, no more being called a low-life freak, no more being beaten and until passing out by Dudley and his friends, no more spending days having to deal with her stomach begging for food, no more having to explain the bruises and cuts to Miss Figg and specially no more having to deal with her Uncle's belt against her bare skin, carving deep scars that were not to disappear for a long time.

But she learned that, even though she had to go back to the living hell that was her relatives' house every summer, she had a real home, far away from those sadistic human beings.  
She was sure Hogwarts wasn't all sunshine and butterflies. But then again, what was like that in her life? It was cozy and heart-warming, even when she first stepped foot in the imponent and old building.

But right now, she felt so incapable of dealing with everything. Mainly, because it rummaged through things that were meant to be left in the past. Back when she had a glimpse of what it was to be happy. That part of her life, her brain left untouched. Even though they were merely vague visions of a woman with bright green eyes and a man with a gorgeous smile. Those weren't meant to be touched. Those were meant to be preserved under a very resistant dome.

How could she be calm, even in that silent and soothing night, if she knew her horrible excuse for a godfather, the man that was responsible not only for murdering many innocent people but also with the betrayal and death of her so beloved parents was running free and unharmed even after such atrocities?  
Oh, Harry didn't fear Sirius Black as everybody thought so. Her feelings towards the despicable man were only boiling rage and disgust. How could he? How could he betray someone's trust in such a subtle and heartless manner?  
He was the reason Harry's life was a mess. He was one of the many to blame. The damned man who stole Heather's happiness, locking her away to any kind of fatherly or motherly love.

Her rising rage was suddenly interrupted by a sound outside the window, almost like an animalistic howl, resonating because of the height of the tower she currently was in. Blinking repeatedly and trying to see through the glass she rubbed her lenses and looked for the animal responsible for that.

She saw nothing. And that was something to be worried about.

Because of her previous experiences with danger, Harry became much more cautious and even paranoid. She was not a coward, however. She just learned how to identify when something bad can happen, a natural warning sense.

For a second, Harry cursed Snape for finding out about the Marauder's Map. It would come really handy in times like this. It was a perfect way to be safe from whatever was outside, even though it wasn't much probable that the sound came from the ex-prisoner that haunted her mind.  
Slowly backing away from the window, she examined the situation: There was either a very hurt or very angry creature in her school. It wouldn't be the first time really.

Curiosity for some is a gift. For Harry, it was more of a curse. Reaching for her trunk, she looked for her Invisibility Cloak and made a quick messy bun with her hair, rolling up her pajamas' sleeves with a determined look on her face.

Whatever was outside the castle couldn't be worse than dealing with what was inside of her own head.


	2. Curiosity

Tiptoeing through the empty halls and being very careful not to be found, she made her way to the entrance of the sumptuous castle while holding her wand tightly in her hand.

Suddenly, Harry realized how risky this was and how selfish she was being. She was giving in to her desire of knowing what the noise was and forgetting absolutely every reason why she shouldn't do so.  
Merlin, she could almost listen to Professor Lupin's voice telling her how ungrateful she was of her parent's sacrifice. He was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts she had and, because of that, she didn't really wanted to disappoint him. He was one of the few adults she trusted, and because of that she didn't want him to think of her as a child or someone to take care of. Specially because he seemed to be sick. He was not giving classes and Professor Snape, who was not so fond of her at all, was taking his place temporarily. Oh, he would be so happy to spot her out of bounds and in such an incriminating manner. She would be expelled and his sick desire would be fulfilled. Just the thought of being caught sent shivers down her spine.

But somehow she managed to wake her courage up as she stepped out of the castle. The night seemed to have fallen even darker and she had lost count of how late it was. Her breathing rhythm was faulty and she was half-trembling, but she kept going without looking back.  
Momentarily, she recalled a book once she heard Aunt Petunia reading to Dudley when he had thrown a tantrum over some new toy he couldn't have because the store was closed for the day. It was a story about a girl called Alice who fell into a rabbit hole and found a land where everything was different and mad, all because of her curiosity. Yet, she was no Alice. She was not going to fall into some trap especially if it was Black's. She would not give him the pleasure of being the one to kill her.

She started walking around Hogwarts’ outside properties, seeing nothing wrong at with them at all. It seemed like a good sign. However, she knew better: that noise was like some kind of animal being brutally hurt, and she could not stand the thought of being aware of its injured state and doing nothing. It was almost like it was her fault and one feeling she couldn't deal with was surely guilt

Then Harry heard it again. That howl of pain (now, she was certain it was pain) resonated again, now way closer than it was before. Scared, but not much, she walked towards the direction she heard the noise coming from only to find herself getting further into the path that lead to The Whomping Willow, the harmful tree's outline making its way into the dark night.

Out of the blue, she heard a low cry and her body stiffened. Her eyes widened behind the old cloak and she felt like she was being watched. Looking around, she saw nothing again. 'Weird', Harry thought, 'I was certain I heard something coming from the Whomping Willow' but the tree wasn't attacking anyone and it looked quite stiff, actually, like it was stunned.  
'Curioser and curioser!' she thought, quoting the book she once heard being read. She took slow and careful steps, in hope not to be attacked by the gigantic plant, getting near of it. Nobody seemed to be hurt, scared of in danger.

She was now really angry at herself. How stupid she was! Going out of the castle with the dementors and "a murderous raving-lunatic", as Ron has eloquently put before, on the loose. But she couldn't risk acting indifferently to someone's harm, right?  
Sighing almost in a relieved way, she started making her way back to Hogwarts and therefore, her dormitory. It was probably all part of her imagination, really. It wasn't possible that every year something was going to happen to change her life in a drastic way. It was highly unlikely. After all, she had to become normal at some point.  
How terribly wrong she was.

At first, she thought it was the wind and ignored it. No way it was something else, she has already checked. But when she heard it the second time, coming from the bushes, she was certain it was a whimper. An animal one.  
Fighting her urges to have a normal life at least once, she made her way closer to the harmed creature, tearing some leaves apart only to find that the creature was not only badly injured, but it was the black dog she saw last summer.


	3. The Grim

She was astonished. Absolutely speechless. That was the Grim, the giant black dog that barked ferociously to her some time ago at Magnolia Crescent back in Little Whinging. Has it been stalking her? Was it some kind of practical joke or prank by the Weasley twins? They had a great laugh when she told them about Professor Trelawney predicting her death.   
She took some steps closer, waiting for either Fred, George or both to step out of the bushes and surprise her, but the surprise never came, so she took this possibility out of her head.  
Taking a closer look, she saw the creature that was meant to be dangerous. It looked so fragile laying on the grass. It's fur was dirty and it's eyes were half-opened. It whined so painfully, like it's body was about to tore apart.  
She hesitated, but kneeled down and began healing the creature's wounds. It's belly was bruised and cut, with fresh blood dripping from it. She quickly muttered a spell to fix it, or at least, reduce the damage. She has seen Madam Pomfrey, healing her with the same one multiple times.

– Shhh, doggy... It's going to be okay – she said, trying to calm it down – I'm here, I'm going to take care of you.

Her words combined with the healing spell seemed to have a soothing effect on the animal. It's whining became quieter and it's body stopped shaking furiously. It's breath rhythm became slower, almost peaceful. She could swear she heard the dog sighing in relief. It's eyes closed slowly and it fell asleep, just like that, being held by Harriet.

For a moment, she thought of keeping it, but she knew she couldn't. Hogwarts only made possible for animals that weren't cats, owls or toads to be owned by the students, even though Ron already broke that rule by having a pet rat named Scabbers. But it was way easier for anybody to hide a small animal than to hide an enormous dog.  
But... She couldn't let it there. She couldn't leave it. Not right now, not today. Whatever attacked the poor creature looked like a vile and cruel monster, who had no mercy on hurting that dog, on the opposite, it looked like the clawed (judging by the state of the wounds) animal was actually trying to murder it.  
She felt empathy for the dog. She could see her in it's skin as she was beaten senseless by her foul uncle. She could feel the looks of despise and all the times she was called a freak and told she was undesirable. It was wounded, but could do nothing about it, just like her in general. Lost. Vulnerable. Weak.

A spark of that well-known Gryffindor courage suddenly burned into a flame of bravery in Harriet's heart as she slowly proceeded to hold the dog on her arms, carrying it. She wouldn't let anything else happen to this animal.  
Slowly, she started walking back to the castle, along with what she thought would be her pet, along with Edwiges.

As Harriet paced through the corridors, she started wondering how to hide it until it was completely healed, coming to the conclusion the safest place for it was the Gryffindor dorms, more specifically in her bed. Everything she had to do is cast a silencing charm and cover it with her cloak, she thought, that should do the trick.  
Taking hurried steps up the stairs of the tower she finally reached her common room. No one was around, which meant they were sleeping as before.  
She tried to make no sound as she started climbing the stairs to the girls' dorm. Looking at Hermione's closed curtains she figured her friend was still asleep and felt relieved, considering she was the smartest of them all and would figure Harriet was up to something. She was also a very good rule follower. She’d tell on Harriet with the excuse that it was “for her own good” and her new furry friend would have again to roam the forest, risking being hurt again.

Sleepy, after her adventure and thanking Merlin for not bumping into any dementor or bossy friend, Harriet laid the dog at the end of her bed, murmuring a quick Silencio as she covered it with the cloak and saw it completely vanishing. There was no evidence whatsoever that once a dog had entered the dormitory nor inhabited her bed.  
And sleep caught her off guard; as soon as she let her fatigued body hit the bed with an exhausted sigh.


	4. Dawn of Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O-okay, I'm really nervous because I am actually receiving feedback on this. I have to thank you for your time and apologize for being absent for a while, I've had a really intense test week and I feel exhausted.
> 
> Oh, about the points of view. They're going to change as the story goes, but I'll try not to confuse you guys. Here you'll see some of Sirius' parts of the story and soon he'll interact with Harriet.
> 
> Hope you like it and keep up with this fic, because interesting stuff are to come.

He opened his eyes slowly as he recalled the events that took place in the last months.  
He remembered getting away from Azkaban weak and hungry, yet eager to see his late best friend daughter. According to what he heard some drunk people in a wizarding bar, she was raised by muggles. Probably Lily’s family. He shuddered at the idea. She always said how jealous and mean her sister was and according to what Sirius saw at James and Lily’s wedding, her husband was as foul as his wife. He just hoped they didn’t mistreat the girl.   
Harriet was a living and walking memory of Prongs and Sirius fantasized every second he would spend with Harriet. A lot of time has passed since she was a little giggling baby that used to pull his hair and call him Pa-foo and he wondered how she looked right now. If those bright green eyes shone like Lily’s or if the small amount of dark hair she had as a baby grew to be messy like James’. He wondered if she liked Quidditch like James or were more of a studious and intellectual girl like her mother.  
Sirius rushed to Hogwarts in order to find her, or at least try to. It wasn’t a surprise when he almost ruined the Fat Lady’s portrait: He was livid. Not because he wanted to see her, but because he knew about Pettigrew’s location. He knew the scummy man was wandering around Hogwarts in his rat form. The one who imprisoned and incriminated him, taking away his best friends and Harriet’s parents. The piece of shite deserved to die.  
According to the papers, he was a massive murder who worked for Voldemort and who wanted to harm the poor girl, but Sirius knew he wouldn’t do such a thing to nobody. Nobody except the bloody rat, the traitor who Sirius now knew was closer to Harriet than he’d ever be. Oh Merlin, she probably thought he was the cold-hearted bastard that everyone talked about.  
A flash of jealous and rage filled his entire frame. He was in his Animagus form, so he proceeded to bite off fragments of the mattress. Suddenly, he came to his senses and thought “Wait… Mattress?”  
And he started to remember about the night before. After the Gryffindor dorms break in fiasco he had to hide in the dark forest for some unknown time, but it felt like days. He had eaten small animals and drunken water that rested in a small pond, enjoying his freedom in the wilderness.  
It wasn’t until the full moon that Sirius realized he wasn’t as free as he thought. Flashes of a well-known beast filled his mind: Moony. It was no mistake, he knew its smell. And he also knew how angry he would be, especially because the wolf part of him would claim Sirius as the reason of his pack disruption. Why was he wandering around the Dark Forest if he hasn’t been at Hogwarts for years? Maybe he was here for the same reason as Sirius was: To try to get to Harriet Potter.   
He saw the werewolf’s amber eyes fixed on him and it took less than a second for him to suddenly pounce at the dog. Sirius saw the feral look on his old friend’s face and realized he had to flee. And quickly.   
Running away as fast as Sirius could, he took a turn only to find himself trapped by the beast, that pinned him to the ground with all its force. He growled angrily and buried his claws in the dog’s belly, aiming for its vital organs.   
And the last thing Sirius’ remember after being left almost dead, bleeding and agonizing, was a long haired person that soothed him with a warm voice.  
Looking for any kind of evidence of where he was, his icy gray eyes met the scarlet curtains. He studied again the environment cautiously before finally coming to the conclusion of how familiar everything was to him. It was a Hogwarts dorm and a Gryffindor one, considering how everything was decorated in red and gold colors.  
A wave of nostalgia hit Sirius right in the chest. This place was the refuge of his hell of a home, where he was mistreated and forced to be someone he wasn’t. No, this was his true home. Where he was comfortable. Where he felt safe and loved. Where his true family was.  
Sirius felt a whine build up in his throat as he remembered each one of his best mates.   
James and his self-centered and mischievous way of living life, like it was the biggest of all of their adventures. Prongs was his brother in soul, his all-time companion and partner in crime. He would do anything for having him back to life. He was who Sirius missed the most. And the worst is that even if he was free from Azkaban, Prongs wouldn’t come back.  
He also missed Remus, who was always there for them, even if it was for scolding them for their stupid behavior. The bloke was brilliant, and Sirius knew he was destined to be someone great. He, along with many others, thought about how horrible fate was to poor Moony: being a werewolf reduced many opportunities in his life, even if he was the smartest of the Marauders.  
He even missed that disgusting piece of shite friend Peter. The guy who always giggled in the corner and brought snacks to encourage them. He used to make silly jokes that made Sirius and James laugh a lot and Remus to sigh in disapproval. If he were to tell which fate Peter would have forced upon all of them, he could have stopped him and everything wouldn’t be as messed up as they are now.  
But drifting away from his thoughts, he came to realize how unsafe this situation actually was. He was found by someone, someone who was probably a student and would freak out only in the thought of being in the same room as the convict. Looking over to the other resident of the bed, he saw a petite looking girl with long, unruly jet black hair. Her alabaster skin looked soft and full of youth, yet her eyes looked puffy, like she was finally getting a well-deserved rest after a restless night. She mumbled something almost incoherent, yet Sirius’ enhanced animal’s senses captured it  
— Black… No, leave them alone. Leave Mum and Dad alone...  
He felt like fate had hit him in the face like a slap once more.  
The sleeping girl in front of him was his orphaned goddaughter.


	5. I'll call you...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, new chapter! Apparently, my creativity was blocked because of some issues at school that had me going nuts, but here I am.
> 
> Oh and guess who's point of view is going to be the main focus of the next chapter? If you said a certain werewolf, than you're correct
> 
> Now let's continue our chapter, shall we?

Harriet blinked a few times before actually waking up. She had a horrible dream about Black and Voldemort torturing her family to death and the screams of a chubby boy that seemed to be one of his victims. She swallowed a sob that was about to form in her throat by the memory of the death of those she loved the most and quickly looked over to the dog that currently was over her care.

Apparently, he woke up before her and was staring at her with what could be only described as a mixture of surprise and joy. Feelings she thought couldn’t be shown by a dog. She slowly reached behind its ear and scratched it cautiously, just to check if the animal was comfortable with her touch.  
It responded by turning his head and licking the palm of her hand in a gesture of affection. It appeared that despite of how scary it looked like, he (she observed that it was a male) was hungry for care and love. Once again, Harriet felt drawn close by the resemblance of her own self. She bottled all of her feelings and seemed to others like a strong and brave person, yet she only needed someone to take care of her. To show her what is like to be loved.

The Weasleys and Hermione were practically the only ones who actually looked like they cared, despite of her Girl-Who-Lived fame, and she was so grateful for their existence. They were almost like a miracle for her, someone to run to when everything was crumbling down like the mess that was constantly her life.

— You’re a good boy, aren’t you? – She said, while smiling at the furry creature before her – I know exactly what is like to be misunderstood. People assume you’re something but you’re not and expect you to act like the image they created of you. You’re a lot like myself, really. 

The dog stared at her as he didn’t understood. ‘Of course it doesn’t understand! It’s a dog. And the worst is that you’re talking to it like it would’ she thought.  
Then she started analyzing the situation as a whole. She roamed the school after curfew, found a severely wounded dog, discovered that there was another deadly beast around the Hogwarts grounds and now decided to keep the canine being she out of the blue discovered during her late night wanderings.

Yes, it was as insane as it looked like. But then again, nothing was that normal in Harriet’s life. She thought and thought and finally came to the conclusion she couldn't give him away to Hagrid. He was too occupied with the new classes he was giving, even though they were getting more boring as the time passed. Ron had Scabbers and was already pretty occupied hiding one 'illegal' animal. Hermione would tell McGonnagall a heartbeat. She would consider the animal's appearance to be as dangerous as his behavior and he would be sent to roam the forest again.  
She kept pondering the possibilities, one less probable than the other, until she came to the conclusion: 'It wouldn't be that bad to have a pet that is not permitted by Hogwarts, right?'  
Ron had Scabbers for 3 years and nobody seemed to notice. Even with the size difference, she could find a way to take care of it, without any of the professors finding out about her furry new friend.

She turned to him, with a decisive look on her face

– Fine! I'm keeping you here with me.

His canine features were enlightened by her decision, his tail wiggled furiously and he licked her face in delight

– But first there are a few things we need to do. First of all, give you a good bath. Then I'll see if I can sneak some food in my pockets during breakfast, and, of course, you need a name.

He looked at her with something that could only be expectation.

– What about Shadow?

He looked at her funny. She frowned at his negative response. Weren't the owners supposed to name their pets with a name whichever name they pleased? 

– No? Hm... Howl?

He again disagreed with it, receiving another frown from Harriet. She decided maybe it would be easier to teach him commands if he liked the name she would give him.

She kept trying until the dog agreed, weirdly, to a very unusual name for such an enormous dog. But she didn't protest, on the contrary, she commemorated her new discovery with him as he jumped on her, pining her to the bed and licking her face.

– Thats enough, that's enough! - She said laughing and pushing the dog that was panting from all the fuss that was made - So, from now on, I'll call you Snuffles.


	6. Hello, my old friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the really short chapter. I just had to add Remus' point of view because it's going to be really relevant at some point during the story.
> 
> Also, I am receiving even more feedback! And this gets me pumped to keep writing. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing. See ya!

Remus paced back and forth in his quarters and threw his hands up, holding his head in despair. He knew exactly what he saw the night before and could barely believe it. 

The wolfsbane potion proved to be not only a way to keep his students and fellow teachers safe from his wolf form but also a way to recognize the well-known black dog.  
He could look into his eyes and smell his scent of fear as his blood boiled with the vision of the traitor. The bastard that disrupted his pack. The one that had been scaring the whole wizard community. The one... That wanted to harm Harriet.  
Oh, he regretted with every bone in his body he couldn't take the kid in. In another life, he would be her old Uncle Remus and not only her professor.  
But Black had destroyed it. Just as much as he destroyed the Marauders. He would pay for it, for taking away Harriet's family. For inflicting all the remorse and helplessness Remus felt for 12 years of his life.

He looked into the mutt's blood shot eyes before he pounced and attacked him with all his might. Maybe, if he hadn't taken his potion, his urge to kill the bloody animal would have been smaller. His rage, his misery was all directed to that dog. He wanted to rip out his guts there and then.  
But Black was faster. Way faster than him. And before he could think he was caught in a chase with the traitor in the forest.

It didn't matter if he was getting closer to Hogwarts castle.  
It didn't matter if he would or wouldn't regret it in the morning.  
It didn't matter if Peter's name was on the map  
Nothing mattered.   
The only thing he wanted was to kill the one he once called friend.

He eventually caught up with him and landed a blow on the dog's stomach, who whined loudly with pain and, even hurt, proceeded to run away.  
It wasn't much later until he lost him. The blood trail that was following him suddenly lead to nowhere.  
'Damn you, Sirius Black' he thought, and head back to the opposite way, still in hope to find him.

Now, back to his human form, Remus wasn't angry. He was worried. What if Black found his way into the castle once more? It wouldn't be the first time. He could easily have lured a student into thinking he was a poor dog, lost and hungry. Even if keeping dogs went against the school rules.

Then suddenly a thought came to his mind, an unmistakable name floating through the map. They couldn't track ghosts with this map, which left one alternative: Peter Pettigrew was alive.  
But how? He saw the pictures of his bloody finger laying unceremoniously on the pavement of a chaotic street, blown up by Black.  
Remus was certain of only one thing, whatever seemed to be happening didn't smell nicely.

Remus knew how chaotic it would be if the news spread, but couldn't stop himself for pondering between reporting or not about Black's presence around the grounds. He had two options: He could either talk to the Headmaster and his colleagues about his discovery or investigate about Peter's very alive state.  
His senses seemed to lead him for the latter.

Remus' mind was working at full speed, with thoughts that seemed to be getting less and less probable. His hand shot to his head, messing with his hair in frustration. He stopped walking in circles, took his wand from his pocket and muttered

– Tempus.

It was way too late and he would be tired for the early morning classes. Maybe he should rest for the night, tomorrow he would have both time and patience for dealing with this whole Peter-Black dilemma.

He took The Marauder's Map in hand and rubbed the parchment with his thumb in an attempt of recognition of what once was his masterpiece. His eyes were the perfect representation of sorrow and melancholy.

– Mischief Managed – Remus said, prolonging the last word like he didn't want to stop speaking it.

Sighing and throwing the piece of parchment in his work table, he went to his room with a slow pace. He went to bed not with the thoughts of a shattered friendship, but with the warm memories of what once was the greatest group of trouble-makers Hogwarts had ever seen.


	7. Hogsmeade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say I'm sorry for taking so long to update.
> 
> I'm also sorry for changing the tags and adding stuff. I felt like the story wouldn't work withouf that change... If you no longer want to read, I'll understand it perfectly
> 
> Well... Yeah.

Time had passed way too slow for Harriet's liking, since she has found Snuffles. The castle was no longer covered in white. The ground was covered with green and all days were sunny and beautiful. The breeze was refreshing and youthful, the fields were filled with students having picnics and sitting on the fresh grass.

Sometimes Harriet wondered how it was her life before that night she found her friend, blooded up and scared. She found out she had made the right decision on keeping Snuffles. The dog has proven to be a great companion for her and sometimes looked almost sentient. She had found herself attached to the animal with less than a day along with him. They now hung out in secret, really early in the morning when nobody could see.

But Harriet couldn't wait until the next day. She had been pumped ever since winter was gone and she could finally roam the streets of Hogsmeade freely with her furry friend. Oh, she had learned to care deeply about him. She even defied Hermione persistent comments about how wrong it was to keep a pet that wasn't allowed by the rules and along with Ron they finally convinced her it was okay, even though Scabbers shivered constantly whenever they mentioned Snuffles. They never got to meet specially because of that, which Harriet assumed it was just the rat's animal instinct showing up.

She gave it a thought and finally decided to bend the rules of their secret meetings a little. It was almost midday, but even so, there wasn't that much of a probability of meeting any teacher or Hogwarts staff member in such an hour. She put her cloak around herself and the dog and passed through the secret passage that led to Honeyduke's basement.  
She quickly noticed how empty the shop was and thanked Merlin for her luck. Making the minimal noise possible she strolled through the shelves and pots filled with wizards sweets containing her urge of getting some of them. Snuffles seemed to do the same, so she gave him and understanding smile and they started walking around the almost lonely street of the village. 

They started getting farther and farther into the village until they've reached a part of it that seemed to have no visitors or even open shops at all. Taking off her cloak, she was greeted with Snuffles pouncing at her and barking happily. She laughed and got the parchment she transfigured into a ball earlier and they started playing fetch.

Delight. That was the precisely what she was feeling. It was that careless and problem-free moments that kept Harriet's sanity on point. She could barely remember Black's existence or Voldemort's murderous threats. It was those moments that she felt like she wasn't the Girl-Who-Lived. She was Harry, just Harry, not a famous witch who people expected great things. That kind of thoughts made a truthful smile illuminate her face.

But suddenly she felt her stomach twirl as she saw a person approaching the isolated area, along with two others that seemed to be way buffer than the other one. Even from a distance she could perfectly see the reflection of platinum hair against the sun.

'Oh bloody hell, not Malfoy' she thought, when she realized it was too late and she had already been seen by the trio of Slytherins.

— Well well well... Caught on the act, aren't we Potter? A dog? How... Muggle-like. I'd expect something more respectable coming from a witch whose fame is oh-so-great. - Malfoy said with his usual dry and teasing voice.

At his pronouncement, Snuffles growled angrily.

— Oh sod off, Malfoy. I'm not bothering anyone, am I? – Harriet said angrily - Besides, why do you care?

Crabbe shot a begging look to Malfoy, as he was asking to give Harriet a beating of a lifetime. The buff boy shot Goyle a look, whose fists were closed in a white knuckled grip. Malfoy just shook his head towards his minions and told them to go away and leave him to talk with the girl.

— I don't really. But maybe Professor McGonagall would love to know about your... Should we call it a pet? - Malfoy stated with disdain and smirked.

Harriet's heart skipped a beat at the idea of being caught and Snuffles barked furiously at the annoying boy.

— But... We could change that, couldn't we? - The blonde said, lowering his voice a little and approaching Harriet while gazing with a weird look on his face.

He quickly grabbed both of Harriet's wrists with a swift but strong movement. She never realized how tall the boy was getting or how much strength he actually had. He held them on top of her head with a one handed grip  
Blood rushed away from Harriet's being as she realized what he was trying to do and she went to a complete shocked state. 

— No... Let me go! - A sob escaped her lips. His free hand was making it's way through her hair and down her spine and his face inching closer and closer to hers.

Suddenly he let her go with a yelp of pain and looked at his leg only to find it being bitten fiercely by a very angry and murderous dog. Harriet looked at Snuffles with complete gratitude and surprise. Mid way through Malfoy was screaming with pain as the dog seemed to carve his teeth on the blonde's flesh.

Stuck between the mixture of horror of being assaulted, the joy of having such a loyal dog and the need of stopping Snuffles of ripping off the bloody boy's leg she seemed to fail an approach of a third person that quickly joined and studied the whole scene.  
Finally realizing the presence of an intruder she froze in place. But the mortification went after the perception of that person's identity.

— What's going on here? - The very familiar voice said, with a very worried and reproving tone, unlike every one that ever came from the very kind man.

A very furious Remus Lupin looked at the boy and Harriet. When he laid his eyes at Snuffles, his face paled and his eyes widened as he took in the presence of the animal, seeming to completely forget the scene that was happening at his arrival.

— ...Padfoot? - He stuttered under his breath.


	8. Revelations

Snuffles released Malfoy's leg and took some steps behind while whining almost silently. The boy fell to the floor in a loud sound and started moaning in pain as he held his leg with a disturbed face.

— You're nuts! The lot of you! Wait until my father... - Malfoy started hissing between his teeth when he was interrupted

— Petrificus Totalus - Remus whispered while pointing his wand at the aching and accusing boy without looking away from the dog.

Everything was happening so quickly Harriet almost couldn't follow. Her head was fuzzy and she couldn't understand what was happening. She was paralized in confusion as she watched her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor stunned in place with the view of Snuffles.

It took some time until the scene took a change. Remus started slowly pointing his wand at the animal. Snuffles, now also known as Padfoot, stopped whining and suddenly started running towards the castle.  
Harriet woke up from her trance and turned to the dog, getting ready to follow him when suddenly she felt a hand holding her wrist tightly. She looked back in surprise as Remus stared at her eyes and looked quite disturbed

— How long have you been keeping this dog with you, Harriet? - He said, trying to be as gentle as possible.

— Professor... I... I'm so... - Harriet started thinking about excuses to give Professor Lupin.

— Just answer my question, please Miss Potter - He said with a little harsher tone 

She took a breath and looked at her wrist that was still being held. She found the courage that was lacking to tell the truth and looked at his eyes apologetically.

— R-Remember that week you were unable to teach us lessons? - She said, receiving a nervous nod as response - Well... I heard a strange sound coming from outside the Gryffindor tower and snuck out. It came from somewhere near the Whomping Willow. I found him badly injured. I couldn't just let him die, Professor, I had to help him... But I... I actually liked him as a friend and I decided to keep him. I even gave him a name. I swear I'll do anything, just please... Please don't tell Dumbledore. He's very important to me... - She said as a cry started breaking through her throat.

Remus looked her in the eyes, now watery from trying to hold her tears. He released her wrist and held her shoulders lightly.

— Has the dog ever been aggressive towards you or any of your friends? - He said, without breaking eye-contact.

— No... He's... He's my best friend. While Ron and Hermione were too occupied with their stupid fights, he's the one that kept me company, made me laugh and distracted me from the whole Sirius Black situation...

While she was talking, Remus' mind was connecting the facts. Peters' name on the map. Black being friendly to Harriet. It didn't make any sense Black's betrayal, especially when it was about James. He knew how much they were close and couldn't understand why he would throw everything away in such a careless manner. And killing Peter? Black wasn't like his family. He'd never do it, he was a such a loyal friend to every one of them.  
But Peter wasn't as dead as he thought, which could only mean one thing: Black was innocent. If he didn't kill Peter, why would he betray his all time best friend James?

— Miss Potter, I want you to listen carefully. This dog is not a regular one. - He watched her becoming concerned with each word - Have you ever heard of Animagi?

— Yes, it's a wizard or witch that can change to a specific animal shape like McGonagall does. - She said, measuring each word.

— I need you not to be unnerved because I assure you there's no need to. I'll explain everything to you slowly so you won't be scared. Is that okay?

Harriet nodded silently as she was getting more tense as he built up his speech in the intention of calming her.

— That dog is the animagus form of Sirius Black.


	9. Innocence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I couldn't wait for uploading this. I was going to wait until the night but I couldn't resist this gigantic urge of posting it right now XD  
> Well... Hope you keep up with it. Soon enough the story will take some... Unexepcted turns.  
> See you~

It took a lot of time and convincing to finally make Harriet believe her Professor's theory. She was astonished: How could she not notice how sentient he actually was? She thought how stupid she was for not noticing or, once again, not hearing Hermione. Her godfather was by her side throughout all that time.  
But now, her rage towards Sirius Black shifted into confusion. He was there for her, even without her perception, when her friends weren't. She started recalling their walks around Hogsmeade and everytime they got out of the castle in secret just to get some fresh air and play. He knew her secrets, her deepest ones. Yet he did nothing against her. Which matched Professor Lupin's theory, who she now knew not only to be a werewolf, but also one of the closest friends her father ever had.

They eventually had to move Draco back to the castle. Getting there, they Harriet healed his very much injured leg and pushed him into a broom cabinet, unpetrified and obliviated him. The whole assault incident was in fact, not in her thoughts. The only thing she could think about was the fact that her godfather was actually innocent. That, along with the inicial confusion, brought deep joy into her heart. Sirius, as now she was calling him mentally, was a part of her life that she thought to be completely taken away. He was the closest she could get from a family, a home. And she felt her heart warm at the thought.

Before leaving to her dorm, she had a cup of tea in Lupin's office. They talked about his stories with the Marauders and how they were the greatest prankers, even better than the Weasley twins, Hogwarts had ever seen. The topic bringing out giggles and conformable moments Harriet valued a lot. It didn't take much for Harriet to feel her heavy eyelids fall slowly.

— Well, I guess is time for you to go to your dorm Harriet. - He said helping her up the sofa she was sitting on.

Getting up in a very sleepy state, she made her way to the door and before leaving she turned and bid him goodbye.

— Good night, Professor Lupin.

— Good night. - He said with a smile - Oh and Harriet, please, you can address me as Remus.

She giggled at his comment and made her way to the Gryffindor tower, mind wandering throughout the events that took place in that day. She had a very honest smile on her face that she only got when she was having fun with Sirius. 'Sirius... Where could he be at the moment?' She thought, internally.

Passing through the portrait guarding the common room she was met with a very empty common room. She didn't realize how much time she spent on Hogsmeade and having tea with Profes-... Remus, she quickly corrected herself, and sat unceremoniously on the armchair in front of the fireplace, taking off her shoes and leaving them next to the coffee table in front of her.

Then suddenly from the corner of her she spotted something moving to hide behind a trunk that was placed on the other side of the room.  
She was no longer tired and her heart started beating really fast. 'Could it be...?' She thought, anxiously.  
She slowly got up and started to pace in that direction.  
A very silent whine coming from that direction confirmed her thoughts: It was really him. She was excited to meet him in person and tell him she believed everything, she wanted to ask him all her questions and finally have a taste of what's like to have a family.

— Sirius...? - She whispered, managing somehow not to let it out in a scream of anticipation.

Slowly making his way from behind the piece of furniture, still in his animagus form, he stared up into her green eyes in fear.

— I-It's okay. I know who you are and I know you're not going to hurt me. - She said, cautiously and sounding a little more nervous - You can shift back to your human form, there's no one here but us.

It was a less than a second after her pronouncement. Suddenly where the dog was standing now stood extremely thin man with a badly shaved face and long hair. He wore a striped shirt was torn until the middle of his chest, revealing it to be full of tattoos. His expression was unreadable, from feelings that varied from happiness to confusion.

Harriet now looking up to the much taller man, managed to smile even with his very deteriorated appearance. It took some seconds of a profound awkward silence until suddenly Sirius broke it.

— I wanted to tell you. - He said with a very uneven and tired voice - I wanted to tell you really badly who I was. Every time you told me what your uncle and aunt did to you I wanted to stand up for you. And to think you expressed so much anger towars me, or what you thought I was... I'm sorry... - He started apologizing when he was interrupted.

— It doesn't matter. - Harriet said, quickly before he could feel even worse about himself - What matters is that you're innocent and we need to prove it, so you can have your freedom.

Then a faint smile slowly was formed in his face, and even if it his teeth were yellowed Harriet could only look at him in admiration. He had passed 12 years in Azkaban while being innocent. He couldn't even grieve for his best friend death.  
But deeply she feared: What if Sirius didn't want to take her in, as she fantasized about ever since she knew he was in fact not guilty of her parents' death?

As if he read her mind, his arms suddenly enveloped her. It was a tight but sweet embrace. Was he was trying to feel if she was actually real but feared rejection of the act.

— I can understand if you don't want to... But if you feel like having a different kind of home... - He said, uncertain of his words

Harriets' eyes widened and she immediately wrapped her arms around him, returning the hug.

— Yes... That's all I want to do. - She said, smiling against the fabric of his worn-out shirt.


End file.
